Alaska governor puts aide on leave in trooper-firing probe

Gov. Sarah Palin has placed one of her aides on paid leave until an investigator finishes looking into accusations her team broke ethics or personnel rules.

The investigation stems from Palin's July firing of Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan. Monegan later said he felt pressured by the governor's office to fire Palin's ex-brother-in-law, Mike Wooten, a trooper who had been locked in a child-custody battle with Palin's sister.

Palin last Wednesday revealed a phone call made by her boards and commissions director, Frank Bailey, to a trooper lieutenant.

In the call, Bailey lists various complaints about Wooten and says the governor and her husband couldn't understand why he still had a job. The governor admitted the call could be perceived as her office pressuring the Public Safety Department, but says that's not what actually happened.